Zabzugu/Tatale, March 30, (credit Dawuni), GNA- The Zabzugu/Tatale Distict Office of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) last year received 36 complaints out of which 25 were forced marriage cases.

There were six child maintenance complaints and five labour related cases, which included wrongful dismissal and low wages, while a child labour case was reported at Sabare, a fishing community in the District. Mr Mahama Ahmed Regent of Kworli, who is the District Director of CHRAJ disclosed this to newsmen who visited his office at Zabzugu on Thursday. He said out of the 36 cases received, 23 had been fully settled, nine were withdrawn while four were pending. He said the communities in which the 25 cases of forced marriages were reported were: Kukpaligu, Goh, Tatale, Tokoroyili, Sangbaa, Gbandi, Kubalim, Kukuo, Nyemeliga, Tasundo and Nahuyili. Mr Mahama noted that dropout rate of girls in school due to forced marriages had now reduced considerably because of an educational campaign jointly organised by his outfit and the District Directorate of Education to sensitise parents on the need to keep their girls in school.

He said there were inadequate personnel at the district office of the Commission and therefore requested that an assistant registrar and a secretary be posted there to help administer the office.